Folding footstool

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a folding footstool which, when in its operative position, has a main box-like structure forming a foot supporting portion with a pair of pedestals supporting the main structure. In its inoperative position, the hingeable panels forming the main structure, are adapted to embrace the pedestals so that a neat and compact box is provided for carrying purposes.

United States Patent Adler [4 1 Mar. 21, 1972 FOLDING FOOTSTOOL [72]Inventor: Louise Adler, 359 Clarke Ave., Montreal,

Quebec, Canada 22 Filed: July 7,1970

21 Appl.No.: 52,813

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 19, 1969 Canada ..O67,860

[52] [1.8. CI ..297/439, 297/17, 297/461, 312/195 [51] Int. Cl ..A47c9/12, A47c 4/02, A47b 47/00 [58] Field otSearch ..108/35,36, 115, 132;297/16,

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,259,145 10/1941 Waldo1,798,472 3/1931 Kelly "297/439 X 3,438,345 4/1969 Lasaine et al....2,715,053 8/1955 Wiegel ..108/35 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS710,466 6/1954 Great Britain ..297/439 Primary Examiner-Casmir A.Nunberg Attorney-Spencer & Kaye ABSTRACT The invention relates to afolding footstool which, when in its operative position, has a mainbox-like structure forming a foot supporting portion with a pair ofpedestals supporting the main structure. In its inoperative position,the hingeable panels forming the main structure, are adapted to embracethe pedestals so that a neat and compact box is provided for carryingpurposes.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Mmh 21, 1912 3,650,562

2 Shoots-Shut l INVENTOR.

Louise Adler ATTORNEYS Patented March 21, 1912 3,650,562

' 2 Shanta-Shut 2 H64 INVENTOR.

liouise Adler AT RNEYS.

FOLDING FOOTSTOOL This invention relates to footstools.

Many types of footstools are known. However, most of these suffer fromthe disadvantage that the supporting legs are in fixed relation to thefoot-rest which renders them extremely awkward for carrying,transporting or storage purposes. Hence, the principal object of thepresent invention is to provide an arrangement which is of simpleconstruction and which can, when not in use, be carried under the armand which, when required to be operative, can be easily and quicklyconverted into a footstool or rest.

According to one broad aspect, the present invention relates to afolding footstool arrangement including a main boxlike structure and apair of secondary box-like structures hingeably connected to oppositeends of said main structure and serving, when in operative position, asa pair of pedestals for the main structure which serves as a foot-rest,said main structure maintaining said secondary structures in saidoperative position.

According to another broad aspect, the present invention relates to afolding footstool arrangement including a primary panel, ultimatelyserving as a foot-supporting panel; a pair of secondary box-likestructures hingeably connected to opposite ends ofsaid panel andultimately serving, in their operative position, as a pair of pedestals;a first side wall panel hingeably connected to a marginal side edge ofsaid primary panel; a secondary panel hingeably connected to the othermarginal side edge of said first side wall panel; and a second side wallhingeably connected to the remaining marginal side edge of saidsecondary panel; said panels forming a main boxlike structure serving asa foot-rest and maintaining the pair of pedestals in operative position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing two stages in converting thearrangement into an operative position where it will serve as afootstool;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the arrangement in operative position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the arrangement in inoperativecondition.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular, to FIG. 1, the arrangementincludes a primary panel 1 which, as will be described later, ultimatelyserves as the foot-supporting panel of a folding footstool. A pair ofsecondary box-like structures 2 are hingeably connected at 3 to oppositeends of the main panel 1 and these two structures ultimately serve as apair of pedestals.

As will be seen more clearly from FIGS. 1 and 2, a first side wall panel4 is hingeably connected at 5 to a marginal side edge of the primarypanel 1, and a secondary panel 6 is hingeably connected at 7 to itsother marginal side edge. A second side wall panel 8, is hingeablyconnected at 9 to the remaining marginal side edge of the secondarypanel 6. In addition, panel 8 is provided with a catch 10 adapted tocooperate with any suitable latching means 11 on the primary panel 1.Moreover, panel 8, is also provided with a projecting finger-portion 12.As will also be seen from FIG. 2, the overall length of primary panel 1is greater than the length of each of panels 4, 6 and 8. I

' When it is desired that the arrangement should assume operativeposition, i.e. whereby a footstool or rest will be provided, the catch10 and latching means 11 are disconnected which enables the user, byemploying finger-portion 12, to hinge panels 4, 6 and 8 to theirposition indicated in FIG. 1. The user then moves the pair of secondarybox-like structures 2 about their hinges 3 so that they will assume theposition indicated in FIG. 2, i.e. where they extend normal to theprimary panel 1.

The panels 6 and 8 are then hinged about their respective hinges 7 and 9whereby said panel 6 will be parallel with, but spaced from, the primarypanel 1 and whereby the second side wall panel 8 will be parallel with,but spaced from, the first side wall panel 4. The catch 10 and latchingmeans 11 are then re-engaged with one another. Hence, a footstool suchas that shown in FIG. 3 will be provided whereby the panels 1, 4 6 and 8form a main box-like structure with the pair of secondary box-likestructures 2 being hingeably connected to opposite ends of the said mainstructure. In this position, the main boxlike structure serves as afoot-rest and maintains the pair of secondary box-like structures 2apart and in operative position where they serve as a pair of supportingend pedestals for the foot-rest.

When it is desired to re-arrange the assembly whereby it can be easilycarried or transported, the catch 10 and latching means 11 aredisconnected which permits the panels 4, 6 and 8 to be hinged as topermit the secondary box-like structures 2 to be moved about theirhinges 3 so that they will be in faceto-face relation with the primarypanel 1. Thereafter the panels 4, 6 and 8 are caused to move about theirrespective hinges 5, 7 and 9 whereby the panel 6 are also brought intoface-to-face relationship with the pair of secondary structures 2. Thecatch 10 and latching means 11 are then reengaged so that thearrangement will assume the position shown in FIG. 4 whereby it can beeasily slipped under the users arm and carried.

The footstool arrangement can be manufactured from any suitablematerial.

Iclaim:

1. A foldable footstool having both a folded and an erected state, saidfootstool including a main box-like structure and a pair of secondarybox'like structures hingeably connected adjacent opposite ends of saidmain box-like structure and serving, when in operative position in saiderected state, as a pair of pedestals for said main box-like structurewhich serves as a foot-rest, said main box-like structure maintainingsaid secondary box-like structures in said operative position andembracing said pair of secondary box-like structures when the latter arehinged to their inoperative position in said folded state, and at leasta portion of said secondary box-like structures being disposed beneath aportion of said main boxlike structure to support said main box-likestructure insaid erected state.

2. A footstool according to claim 1 wherein said main boxlike structureis formed by a plurality of connected hingeable panels certain of whichhave cooperating catch and latching means for maintaining said mainstructure in both said folded and erected state.

3. A foldable footstool having both a folded and an erected state, saidfootstool including a primary panel, serving in said erected state as afoot-supporting panel; a pair of secondary box-like structures hingeablyconnected adjacent opposite ends of said panel and serving, in theiroperative position in said erected state, as a pair of pedestals; afirst side-wall panel hingeably connected to a marginal side edge ofsaid primary panel; a secondary panel hingeably connected to the othermarginal side edge of said first side wall panel; and a second side wallpanel hingeable connected to the remaining marginal side edge of saidsecondary panel; said panels forming a main box-like structure whichserves as a foot-rest maintains the pair of pedestals in their operativeposition and embraces the secondary box-like structure when the latterare hinged to their inoperative position in said folded state.

4. A footstool according to claim 3 wherein the primary and secondarypanels are provided with cooperating catch and latching means formaintaining said main box-like structure in both said erected and foldedstate.

1. A foldable footstool having both a folded and an erected state, saidfootstool including a main box-like structure and a pair of secondarybox-like structures hingeably connected adjacent opposite ends of saidmain box-like structure and serving, when in operative position in saiderected state, as a pair of pedestals for said main box-like structurewhich serves as a foot-rest, said main box-like structure maintainingsaid secondary box-like structures in said operative position andembracing said pair of secondary box-like structures when the latter arehinged to their inoperative position in said folded state, and at leasta portion of said secondary box-like structures being disposed beneath aportion of said main box-like structure to support said main box-likestructure in said erected state.
 2. A footstool according to claim 1wherein said main box-like structure is formed by a plurality ofconnected hingeable panels certain of which have cooperating catch andlatching means for maintaining said main structure in both said foldedand erected state.
 3. A foldable footstool having both a folded and anerected state, said footstool including a primary panel, serving in saiderected state as a foot-supporting panel; a pair of secondary box-likestructures hingeably connected adjacent opposite ends of said panel andserving, in their operative position in said erected state, as a pair ofpedestals; a first side-wall panel hingeably connected to a marginalside edge of said primary panel; a secondary panel hingeably connectedto the other marginal side edge of said first side wall panel; and asecond side wall panel hingeable connected to the remaining marginalside edge of said secondary panel; said panels forming a main box-likestructure which serves as a foot-rest maintains the pair of pedestals intheir operative position and embraces the secondary box-like structurewhen the latter are hinged to their inoperative position in said foldedstate.
 4. A footstool according to claim 3 wherein the primary andsecondary panels are provided with cooperating catch and latching meansfor maintaining said main box-like structure in both said erected andfolded state.